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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rash — a series
  3. root — of a plant
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. object — to protest
  8. root — the cause
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. object — a thing
  11. bore — to tire
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — to drop
  15. shower — to wash
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rash — hasty
  19. object — an aim
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fall — the season
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. root — of a word

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com